Mischief and the Mark
by Nocturnal Elle
Summary: Maybe other supernatural personas find the Scooby Gang intriguing, too. Cupid and his mistress Mischief do a little experiment. Timeline would be summer between seasons 4 and 5.
1. Part 1: Mischief

PROLOGUE

Cupid breathed in the balmy night air and smiled as he waited for his lover to appear. Ah, Southern California. What's not to love? He surveyed the cemetery around him. The very air seemed to hum with power. Was this why she had chosen this spot? Mischief materialized beside him. "Isn't it great?" she cooed.

"I suppose it has that nice supernatural appeal, if you're into that sort of thing," Cupid said coyly. "Which I am."

"You must be wondering why I chose this place. Can you hear it? The siren call?"

"The Hellmouth, I suppose you mean, darling? Come on, I'm growing impatient, just pick out your presents and let me get going." He did love to indulge his mistress but there was always a lot of work to be done in his line of work.

"Witches and werewolves and vampires and slayers... the stories these tombs could tell..." Mischief traced a loving hand over a nearby gravestone.

"So that's why you chose Sunnydale this year, is it, darling? You want to wreak a little havoc with the things that go bump in the night?"

"I chose Sunnydale because this year is special. It's our anniversary, you know. You remembered, didn't you?" Mischief curled her lips into a pout and Cupid knew he had better play his cards right.

"Of course I remembered. And I'm glad you chose Sunnydale. It's perfect. Now, have you chosen your presents?"

"Mmm-hmm. A witch that loves a witch and vampire that loves a vampire."

"Right. So you want a witch to fall in love with a witch and a vampire to fall in love with a vampire. I'm sure I'll have no trouble..."

Mischief rolled her eyes. Men. "The witch already loves the witch and the vampire still loves the vampire. And I don't want love. I want lust," Mischief smiled seductively at Cupid for emphasis "with a vampire and a witch."


	2. Part 2: Cupid's Mark

Spike ambled through the cemetery. He was drunk, again. This time not because of Dru and not because of the chip itself. This time because of how the whole affair with ADAM had turned out. He was back at square one. The Slayer wanted him dead and he had nothing to bargain with, so he was actually having to help the Slayer and her merry band of misfits so they wouldn't stake him. What else was there to do but get drunk?

Being inebriated and all, Spike's vampire senses weren't quite up to par as he made his way back to the crypt. This was why he didn't notice that he was being followed. He did, however, notice the searing pain in his shoulder when he was hit with an arrow.

"Bloody hell, you blighter better not be human!" He spun to face his attacker but no one was there. "Of course."

He turned back around to pick up the bottle of liquor he'd dropped and muttered some very Spike phrases. He resumed ambling through the cemetery, without thinking about the fact that this time he was headed in another direction.

Cupid smiled from the shadows. If Mischief was already playing her part with the witch, which he assumed she was, then the game was officially begun.

Willow couldn't quite recall how she ended up alone at Giles' doing research. Tara had been with her but left earlier. Buffy and Riley were on patrol. Xander was at work. Giles was at the magic shop. _If they've left me all alone, the threat can't be too pressing,_ Willow reasoned. She was ready to call it a night and go home, but she didn't want to leave Giles' place unattended when both he and Buffy should have already been back. She was lost in thought when there was a thump at the door.

Willow set down the book she had been reading and cautiously approached the door. "Hello?" she called. The muffled reply from the other side of the door was indecipherable. _Great. Think, Willow, think. _Willow picked up a statue looking thing off of Giles' desk. When in doubt, bravado."This is Sunnydale. I'm not opening that door until I know what's on the other side of it!"

The reply was still muffled, but this time the muffle had a British accent. Had Giles been attacked on the way back from the magic shop? Statue-weapon still in hand, Willow cautiously opened the door. Spike's blond head tumbled over the threshold.

"Well, yeah, you're British, too." She peered out into the apartment complex's courtyard and didn't see anybody else.

"Red?" Spike looked up from his vantage point, confused. "What am I doing here?"

"You tell me. I'd say you were drunk and forgot how to get home."

Spike crawled over Willow's feet into the apartment and managed to stand. "But I was almost home..." As he stood, Willow noticed the small golden arrow sticking out of him. She couldn't help it; compassion kicked in.

"You've been shot! Why didn't you say something?" She moved toward him to inspect the wound.

Spike looked indignant. "I've been shot? Who shot me?"

"You really have to cut back on the drinking, mister." Willow paused, thoughtful. "Though maybe right now it's good that you don't know what's happening. That'll make getting that thing out of you easier." She tugged Spike into Giles' bathroom and had him sit on the toilet. He made quite a fuss as Willow maneuvered his duster around the arrow and off of him. She wasn't sure if this was because she was hurting him or that he now had another hole in his favorite piece of clothing. She decided it was a little of both when she had to remove his shirt and the complaining was considerably less. Spike's mostly passive acceptance of what Willow was doing ended abruptly when she began pouring rubbing alcohol over the wound. He shot off the comode and had her pinned to the wall before she knew what was happening.

"Bloody hell, witch, what was that for?" he roared. Then he paused and looked around the room. "Why am I in the watcher's bathroom again? And where's my shirt?"

Willow was suddenly worried. Spike wasn't just drunk. She was sure he had been drinking; she could smell it on his breath, which was now uncomfortably close. But this was more than drunk Spike. Something had been done to him. All the more reason to get that arrow out of him.

"Uh, Spike," Willow said calmly. "Let me go." His eyes darted around the room and then met hers. When they did, his grip loosened. She nodded and he let her go. Willow held her hands up where he could see them and talked slowly and reassuringly.

"Somebody has done something to you and it's making you feel funny. I'm going to help you, but you have to trust me." Willow put her hand gently on Spike's chest to guide him back to sitting down. _Nice chest_, Willow noted absently. _No! No, bad chest. Very bad chest. The chest of a bad guy. A guy who would kill you in a heartbeat. One of yours, not his, because he's a vampire. A VAMPIRE. With really nice arms._ Willow took a deep breath. Spike sat back down on the toilet. He looked agitated but was also willing to let Willow help him.

"Okay, brace yourself against something. This is going to hurt; don't take it out on me."

As Willow closed her hand around the golden rod jutting out of Spike's back, she reflected that sometime in the last fifteen minutes, the night had gotten really weird. The only times she had ever been alone with Spike he had either been threatening to kill her or outright trying to. And now he was half-naked, at her mercy, and in Giles' bathroom, again. Life on the Hellmouth has some funny twists.

"One, two - " Willow yanked on three. Spike growled and gripped the edge of the tub. Then a change took place in his demeanor, like he suddenly sobered up. Willow looked on, apprehensively, the arrow she's removed still in her hand.

"Something's not right," Spike said. He stood up and faced Willow, leaning over her. "Did you do something to me? Another one of your spells?"

"No, I helped you. You were - " Willow was cut off when Spike grabbed her hand holding the arrow.

"What's this, then?"

Spike's accusatory tone and mention of her magic mishaps started to piss Willow off. "Well, screw you, too, bleached undead guy!" Some part of Willow's mind registered _I'm yelling at Spike. This is new,_ while the rest of her mind was busy working up a good tirade. "I didn't have to help you. Maybe I should just put this back where it was - " Both Willow and Spike looked down to where their hands were joined. The arrow had disintegrated in Willow's palm, and the dust fell through their hands.

" - or not." Willow started to pull away from Spike, but he held fast. She looked at his face. His expression was hard to decipher. It wasn't hate or disgust, of that Willow was certain. They remained in this silent regard for another moment or so before both decided to break it.

Spike's "Look, Red," came out at the same time as Willow's "Spike, why," and both were interrupted by Giles' "Willow?!" as he entered the apartment through the still open front door. The pair in the bathroom parted, oddly reluctant, as Giles found them.

"What is going on here?"

The mood or whatever it was, was broken. Willow began to babble about finding a wounded, disoriented Spike and tending to his wound. Spike put his t-shirt and duster back on. Giles, still a little suspicious over finding a half-dressed vampire alone with Willow asked to see the offending arrow.

Willow smiled weakly. "You can't, exactly."

"And why not?"

"It sort of, uh, disappeared after I removed it."

"Disappeared?"

"She's not lying, mate. The thing crumbled in our hands."

Giles raised an apprehensive eyebrow at Spike's use of the term our.

"Is that so?"

"It is. I think I'll be on my way." Spike's tone was brusque and he pushed past the two of them to leave. But before he left, he looked back at Willow and said gently "Thanks for your help." Willow nodded mutely and he was gone.

"Well," Giles stammered. "That was, unusual, I suppose. I'm sorry you had to deal with him all by yourself."

Willow waved her hand in dismissal. "No, it's okay. But. . ." she trailed off, in thought. "It was strange. I don't think he knew why he had come here, or even where here was. And he was different, calmer. Well, mostly. And with the thing just going poof! Weird." She made an effort to shrug off the events of the evening. "Hey, what took so long at the magic shop?"

"Hmm? Oh, uh, I, well - " Giles seemed confused. "I'm not sure." He started to say something else, when Buffy came through the door.

"How was patrol?"

"Didn't even break a nail." Buffy looked to Willow apologetically. "I would have been back sooner, but I kind of, um, got lost. You ready?"

Willow looked from Buffy to Giles and she thought of Spike's words. Something isn't right. She was starting to think that statement held a lot of worth.

"Yeah, let me just get my laptop."

After Buffy and Willow said their goodnights to Giles, Buffy asked Willow "I passed Spike on the way. Was he here?"

"Tell you on the way."

The girls set off for their place, totally unaware of the female figure in the shadows. Mischief smiled enigmatically. So far, so good...


	3. Part 3: It Just Got Weird

It had been two days since Spike had shown up at Giles' and Willow pulled a little golden arrow out of the vampire's back. The same little arrow that turned to dust moments later. Willow hadn't seen Spike since, and she was refusing to acknowledge that she was mentally keeping track of how long had passed since she'd been near the vampire. Tonight, she and Tara were at the Bronze. Casting an eye about the club, Willow sighed.

"Are you looking for someone?" Tara asked her.

"Me? No. I just," Willow leaned in to Tara, like she had a secret to tell. "I feel strange."

"Strange how?" Tara's voice held concern.

"I don't know. You don't sense it? Is it just me? I feel like a puzzle that's been put together wrong. Lame, huh?"

"I'm sure we'll figure it out. Let me go get you a drink."

Willow smiled. "That'd be nice, thanks."

As the blonde witch made her way to the bar, Willow took another long look around the room. It was like she sensed something. The notion was abandoned when she caught a glimpse of Spike at the entrance. Willow breathed out, like she had been holding something in all night. _There you are_, she said to herself. _Wait, why do I care that Spike is here?_ He caught her looking at him and he smiled arrogantly. She immediately looked away, refusing to look in his direction. That didn't save her, of course, because he was at her side in a moment.

"Miss me?" he whispered from behind her.

Willow parted her lips but couldn't quite think of anything appropriate to say. No, that wasn't really the problem. She was actually thinking of a lot of things she could say. It was more that the act of responding itself seemed weird. She and Spike did not talk. They did not banter. And yet there was this gleam in his eye and she suddenly found herself all too willing to play along. So she said nothing.

"What's the matter, love? Cat got your tongue?"

Tara returned to the table, beverage in hand for Willow. Spike didn't look at her, but she noticed the strange vibe emanating between him and Willow. The vampire made her nervous and she certainly didn't like the way he was looking at her girlfriend, who sat there rather dazed.

"Here, I got you this," Tara stammered out, handing Willow a cup.

Willow met her gaze and took the cup smiling. "Thanks, Tara." She shifted uncomfortably next to Spike's presence, and took a sip of her drink. The three sat in awkward silence for a time. Then, unceremoniously, Spike reached over and took Willow's drink out of her hand and set in on the table.

"Dance with me." His tone was matter-of-fact. Not a question, not a demand.

Willow opened her mouth to protest, but Spike had already swept her out of her seat. She placed a hand on Tara's arm and tried to convey a reassuring look. What am I doing? Willow knew she shouldn't be letting Spike lead her away from her girlfriend, but it was like part of her had been waiting all night just to be in his arms. And that part of her was following the vampire onto the dance floor.

The band was playing a slow, melancholy song. Spike drew Willow into his arms. They moved into a comfortable embrace and began to sway with the music. _This just got weird_, Willow thought to herself. This wasn't right, dancing with Spike while Tara sat not ten feet away. Slow-dancing at that! But she couldn't stop herself.

Buffy and Xander, on a rare dateless evening for both of them, decided to go the Bronze like the days of old. It didn't take them long to spot Tara at one of the tables near the dance floor and head that way.

"Hey, where's Wills?" Xander seated himself next to the witch.

Tara responded mutely by motioning toward the throng of people dancing.

"I don't see her - " Buffy did a double-take. "Why is she? With? What are?"

Tara shrugged. "I think I'm gonna go. You guys can make sure she gets home all right?" Xander and Buffy nodded, dumbfounded. After Tara left, Buffy decided to cut-in on Fred and Ginger. As it were, she didn't have to. She'd only made it half-way to them when Spike and Willow parted, looked at one another and Spike left. Willow walked over to Buffy.

"Will, what was that all about? Why were you dancing with him?"

"He just needed to see me," Willow answered vaguely. "I needed to see him, too."

Xander stepped up. "Okay, not loving the new vampire outreach you've got going on. And, by the looks of it, I'd say Tara wasn't too keen, either."

"Tara?" Willow asked. And then realization flooded her face and she looked about the Bronze quickly. "Tara. Where is she?"

"Gone," was Buffy's blunt reply.

"She must think... I don't know. I need to talk to her. Will you walk with me? I feel a little odd."

Xander snorted. "I'll say."

Buffy took Willow's arm to lead her out of the Bronze. "I'll walk you. 'Sides, don't really feel like dancing anymore."

As they walked, Buffy asked Willow if she thought her sudden need to dance with the undead had anything to do with the incident at Giles.' Xander, of course, didn't know about the incident and had to be filled in.

"I don't know how I'm going to explain this to Tara. I mean, I can't explain it to myself. I felt like part of me was waiting to see him and then when he was there, I kept having these very unlike me urges, y'know?"

Buffy gave Willow a sidelong look. "Urges? Maybe you'd better not fill me in on that part. And I'm sure Tara will agree something's up. Another relationship faces the Hellmouth and all that."

Willow didn't look convinced yet, but she knew Buffy was being sincere. And if something was up, then research mode would commence and they'd figure it out. She smiled for her friends and kept walking. But she didn't tell them about "the feeling." She'd been having it all day, then it went away while she was dancing. But it was coming back, slowly. What gave her a sinking sensation in her stomach was that she knew what would make it go away. Or, more accurately, who.


	4. Part 4: Build Up

Tara had been remarkably understanding about Willow's behavior at the Bronze. She seemed to get that Willow hadn't been totally herself for days and that something really came over her when Spike showed up. They both agreed that Spike was probably the trigger but the what, why and how were still undecided.

"Here's what we know so far," Willow was saying. The two young witches and the Slayer had gathered at Giles' to compare notes. Willow seemed nervous. She held up her hand and extended a finger for every point she made. "One. Somehow, Spike was attacked. Two. He ended up here - and in retrospect, I don't think it was by choice or luck - Three. He was acting all wiggy. Four. He and I were the only ones to touch that little gold arrow. Five. I started acting all wiggy."

"So, we know that arrow is the key," Buffy joined in. "What we don't know is who is behind it or what is going on."

"We also know it's getting worse," Tara added.

Giles looked to her. "How do you mean?"

Willow's gaze fell to her lap and Tara squeezed her knee for comfort. "Willow needs to see him," was all she said at first. After a long pause, Tara continued. "I think some sort of connection or bond has been formed. The longer they go without seeing each other, the more it affects Willow. Last night, it was getting really bad. She broke out in a cold sweat. I didn't know what to do. Then, all of the sudden, she was okay. I went over to the window and saw that Spike was outside. I think there's some sort of physical link."

"Willow," Giles prodded, "can you tell us any more?"

"Just that I think whatever is happening is getting stronger. Did you ever see that episode of _Star Trek_? The one where Captain Picard and Doctor Crusher couldn't leave each other's presence without getting physically sick and they could read each other's minds? Only I can't read Spike's mind, which is good, I think."

Buffy stood up to pace. "Thank the Hellmouth for small favors."

"How do you feel now, Willow?" Giles asked gently.

"I can feel it building." She ran a nervous hand through her hair.

"Well," he sat back and removed his glasses. He hated it when one of them was directly targeted by the latest general menace. "At least we have some places to start: golden arrows, physical bonds... I'll start looking through my books."

"Do you think Xander would bring donuts?"

It was just after dusk. They hadn't come up with much researching, mostly just ruling things out. Willow had become increasingly agitated over the past hour. She kept a constant eye on the door. She pulled her feet up on the couch and drew them to her chest. Tara was obviously concerned. She could sense that Willow was struggling not to show how she felt. Giles was in the kitchen making some tea to soothe her. Tara joined him in the kitchen.

"Do you think Spike is feeling the same sort of withdrawal?" Tara kept her voice low. "I mean, since he's a vampire, maybe he - " Her comment was interrupted when the front door of the apartment flew open.

Spike stepped in and strode purposefully to the sofa. He sat next to Willow. Neither of them had to say anything. Giles and Tara came out of the kitchen to find them sitting there, serenely, breathing evenly. That last part really said the most, since Spike didn't need to breathe and Willow had been holding her breath in for over an hour.

"I guess that answers my question."

Spike lit a cigarette. He took a long draw from it and let the smoke out as he spoke. "I assume you wankers are working on a way to fix this?"

Giles was going to retort, but Willow beat him to it with a concise "Well, duh." The pain in her side, the growing unease, it had all begun fading as soon as Spike was in the same room. Now that he was sitting beside her, she felt comfortable, completely at ease. Spike seemed rather at home, too. He wasn't looking at them with his usual contempt. He was just nonchalantly having a smoke.

"Good. Hope it doesn't take too long; I'm not letting you out of my presence until this is reversed." Spike's tone was clipped, final, and not a little possessive, which unnerved Tara in a way she couldn't quite outline.

Giles made a mental note. "So, you feel this, eh, bond, is getting stronger, then?"

"Look, mate, call it what you want. The past few times, a little was enough to last awhile. Now, the witch stays with me."

Giles and Tara looked to Willow for her disapproval of the situation. She was looking at Spike. "You can stay with me. I'm not hanging around in some crypt. I've got a life and stuff."

Giles and Tara looked back to Spike for his sure-to-come indignation at Willow's taking command. The vampire met the girl's defiant face. "You got heavy curtains?"

The next week was a whirlwind of weirdness. Research into Spike and Willow's newfound nearness clause had to be put off as a more prominent evil arose. But that didn't keep the gang from noticing that Willow and Spike's "connection" didn't seem to be reaching a plateau of any sort. The two steadily needed to be around each other closer, longer, and more frequently. And one night, it reached a disturbing new level. Touch.

They didn't need much contact. A hand here, a leg brushing up against the other's there. But it caused any number of difficult situations. Oddly enough, the afflicted ones didn't seem to mind. Willow and Spike were taking pretty much the whole thing in stride. They communicated without speaking. They couldn't read the other's mind, but it didn't matter because they didn't have to. As their bond increased, so did their attuneness to one another.

The rest of the gang, on the other hand, was kind of freaking out. Tara wasn't speaking much, since having Spike around constantly put an impossible strain on her relationship with Willow. Buffy and Xander were at wit's end over their friend's behavior. They felt like part of Willow had been in a trance for two weeks now. So, while as uncomfortable as Willow and Spike's new touchy-feely phase was, it did present one bizarre ray of hope: the matching symbols that had mysteriously appeared at the base of the couple's necks. It looked like a stylized heart, with a winking eye.

The gang scheduled a full-blown "we end this tonight" meeting at Giles' place. Anya told them she'd be late. She didn't say it was because she recognized the symbol and had a little conjuring to do.


	5. Part 5: Boiling Point

Okay, so maybe this wasn't Buffy's best day ever. By the time she reached that night's Scooby Gang assembly, she and Riley had had a fight and she'd broken a nail dusting a vampire on the way. So, when she came into the apartment and saw Willow sitting on Spike's lap, she lost it. This caused Xander to let go with all he'd been holding in over the situation. That certainly wasn't helping Buffy on the matter. She needed calming down, not re-enforcing. Tara had had to leave; who wants to watch their girlfriend have to be with someone else? Buffy pretty much had a moment where she freaked and did something without calculating the consequences. A Slayer does that sometimes and who can really blame her?

She marched over to where Willow and Spike sat on the couch. She had almost gotten use to them sitting side by side. Well, molded to each other side by side, sure. But now... now, Willow was on Spike's lap. This was too much. Livid, and a little beyond reason she could later admit, Buffy flipped.

"I can't take this anymore. Get your hands off my best friend!" Giles came down the stairs to see Buffy take hold of Willow's upper arms. "This ends now." And, with that, she grabbed Willow, pulled her away from Spike, and put herself between them.

"Buffy, do you think it's a good idea - " Giles began. She cut him off.

"No! It's too much. With all that's going on right now, the ickyness of - " Buffy continued to argue that watching Spike and Willow become increasingly attached was severely throwing her off her game while Giles argued that she didn't seem to mind when she and Spike had been in a similar predicament months before, which of course only enraged Buffy further. Xander was the only one to notice what was happening to Willow.

As soon as she had left the safety of Spike's lap, Willow couldn't breathe. While Buffy continued her outburst, Willow stumbled to the end of the couch. She couldn't get enough air and her insides were churning like she was being pulled in a dozen different places. She collapsed on the floor. Xander rushed to her side. Giles' eyes went wide. Buffy's back was turned, so she didn't notice Willow. But she did see Spike calmly rise and stand in front of her.

"I need to touch her." Spike's voice belied no trace that he either cared what was happening to Willow nor that he felt a similar withdrawla, but his eyes were golden and his hands were shaking. Buffy put her hands on her hips and faced him down.

"Move," he stated menacingly.

"_Make me._"

Spike vamped and took a step closer to the Slayer, but at that point Xander spoke.

"Buffy, get out of his way."

Buffy spun, ready to say something but was unable to speak when she saw Willow on the floor, desperately clutching Xander's arm and silently suffering. Her eyes pleaded with Buffy and she let out a couple of choked sounds. Buffy was frozen. This was her fault. Spike took advantage of her inaction and shoved past her. He was by Willow's side in a second.

Willow gasped Spike's name as his arms went round her and he brought her to her feet. At that moment, she didn't care who was watching, she didn't care what she would think later, and she certainly didn't care that he had his game face on. All Willow knew was that every inch of her wanted contact with him like her very survival depended on it. She looped her arms around his shoulders and drew his head into the crook of her neck, where she felt his vampiric features soften against her. She wrapped a leg around one of his and pressed her body as close to his as possible. Spike made no complaints himself and tightened his hold on her, rubbing his hands up and down her back. The others stared, thinking surely any moment the display before them would at least subside a bit. It didn't.

"Hey, remember when holding hands was fun? You guys can stop now. Please?" Xander went largely ignored. Spike and Willow remained a column of needy groping.

"I think you made them worse." Giles commented dryly to Buffy.

"Where is Willow's other hand?" Buffy asked sharply.

"Judging by where Spike's are, I'd say - "

"You don't think they'd, y'know, right here? With us, also, right here?" Xander was at a loss for quips.

Willow was somewhere else. In fact, she wasn't even Willow anymore. She began tugging at Spike's clothing. "I need you closer..."

Giles nodded decisively. "They would. Right here, I mean. We have to do something, now."

"Well, we can't just pull them apart; we saw what that did." Xander certainly didn't want to see Willow like this with the vampire, but he knew she wouldn't have lasted much longer without him, either.

"Shower." Buffy said. "Cold one. Now."

She approached the couple and began tugging Willow toward the bathroom. Spike growled at the intrusion, but followed the redhead, never separating their limbs. Buffy and Giles managed to get them both standing in the tub before turning on the cold spray.

It didn't seem to work at first, as Willow and Spike continued their frenzied exploration of one another. But then they began to still. Willow kept her arms wound about Spike's waist, and he pulled her head to his chest and rested his chin against her hair. Willow's breathing slowed and she looked at Buffy.

"I - "

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean - "

Neither girl needed to finish what she started to say. Willow and Spike were soaked. Buffy, Giles, and Xander were crowded in the bathroom waiting to see what would happen next. Spike broke the silence.

"Turn off the water, she's freezing." He was given an apprehensive glare from Buffy. Spike frowned and stepped as far away from Willow as he could, given the confines of the tub, but without letting go of Willow's hand. Giles turned off the water and handed a towel to Willow. With wordless understanding, Spike and Willow sat down in the tub and he wrapped the towel around her.

"Probably best we stay here awhile," Willow said weakly.

There wasn't time for any more of an uncomfortable silence to befall the group because just then Anya burst into the apartment. "I know what's causing the Siamese twin act. Where is everybody?"

"In here!" Xander called from the bathroom.

Anya came and propped up against the door frame. She shooed Buffy and Giles so she could see Willow and Spike.

"It's Mischief." She said matter-of-factly. When she was met with several dubious stares, she rolled her eyes and launched the fullest explanation she could give.

"Mischief is the like patron saint of, well, mischief. She serves Chaos, only she's not nearly as powerful. This is one of her little presents from Cupid. That symbol that turned up on their necks, it's like Cupid and Mischief's calling card. I thought it was near their anniversary, so I called her forth. She couldn't stop bragging."

Anya cast a glance at Xander. "I used your basement to make the shrine. It'll smell funny for a few days." She directed her gaze at the rest of the bathroom's occupants. "I'll pause her for questions."

"What does she want with Willow and Spike?"

"Cupid exists?"

"Anniversary of what?"

"How funny?"

"How do we stop this?"

Anya took a deep breath. "Of course Cupid exists. He just doesn't look anything like a chubby baby with wings. And it's the anniversary of Cupid and Mischief. They've been dating for like, forever. Each year, as a gift, Cupid lets Mischief pick some targets. She obviously had reasons for choosing you two. Evil," here she pointed to Spike. "Good." A nod to Willow. "Immortal. Mortal. Vampire. Witch. Don't make me draw the obvious parallels with your haircolor."

Buffy broke in. "But what did this Mischief person choose them for and what did Cupid do to them? Don't tell me they're gonna fall in - "

"Lust. This year Mischief asked for a couple to fall in lust." Anya eyed the couple in the tub. "Oh, come on, admit it, you guys had the hots for each other way before Eros' little bastard son shot you with that arrow. It wouldn't have worked if you didn't. That's how Cupid is."

"Him? I don't ... for ... "

"Her? She's _human_ ... "

Anya silenced them with a look. Willow and Spike took an appraising look at one another.

"It's a fair cop."

Buffy and Xander looked aghast. Giles didn't seem phased. "How do we reverse this?" he asked.

"You don't. It runs it's course. Repeatedly. Right now, they're still in the tension building stage. Then they'll break it and it will start again."

Willow was always a smart one. Spike had been around the block a few times. Buffy had the Slayer's sixth sense going for her. Giles has that enormous squishy frontal lobe. They all pretty much had figured out what Anya was leaving unsaid. Xander didn't yet get it. Or maybe he did and he was just hoping he was wrong.

"What tension? How will they break it?"

"Sexual tension, honey. You figure out the rest."

"But there's a way to break the loop, right?" Buffy asked. "I mean, when Riley and I - uh - you guys fixed that. There's always a way to fix it! Giles?"

"Oh, you can break the loop," Anya said. "With magic. Keep it from repeating." Hopeful eyes were watching the ex-demon. "Only, they have to break the tension first. The moment the tension is gone, you say a simple incantation and Cupid's mark goes away." Hopeful eyes lost the hope part.

"So, Anya," Willow began. "When you say 'the moment the tension is gone' you mean - "

"Orgas-"

"Absolutely not!" Xander cut off his girlfriend.

"Xander!"

"Oh, they will. You can't guard them 24-7. And if they don't, the anticipation will literally kill her. I'm not sure what it'll do to him since he's already dead. It might just drive him insane."

For the next several minutes, the little bathroom was a rather noisy place to be. It was decided that when the time came, Giles would say the incantation on Spike's behalf and Anya would do so for Willow. Tara was the most obvious choice but Willow was adamant that she "can not have my girlfriend present while Spike and I ..." The "..." itself was being consistently avoided.

Buffy and Willow were having an awfully hard time asking Giles questions about this particular situation. "Giles, they don't have to actually, y'know, I mean couldn't he pretty much just ... and then..."

"Yeah, like, as long as we both, y'know, wouldn't that achieve the same goal?"

Giles cleared his throat. "Yes, I'm sure if you both - you know - then Anya and I could recite the incantation and - "

"So, why don't we just usher Buffy and Xander out of the bathroom right now and get this over with?" Ever the pragmatic one, that Anya.

"Absolutely not."

All eyes were on Spike. "You, of all people, have a problem with this scenario?" Buffy asked incredulously.

"We do this, we do it my way. And I want the real deal."

Willow blushed. Buffy unconsciously took on her fighting stance. Giles put his hands on his hips, "Now, see here, you - "

Spike held up his hand. "Save it. The way I see it, this is my once chance ever with the witch. And, as Anya there pointed out earlier," Spike looked at Willow and dropped his voice "I have a bit of a thing for her." His eyes never leaving the redhead, he added "Besides, I got a reputation to protect and what all."

Buffy began rolling out the threats. "... you will, you know, with Willow if I have to chain you in that tub again, naked!"

Still transfixed by Spike's gaze, this time Willow held up a warning hand. "Is okay, Buffy."

"Huh?"

Willow looked up at her friend, sheepish. "I wanna see what he can do."


	6. Part 6: Touch and Go

They had made a makeshift canopy for Giles' bed to secure at least some privacy for what was about to happen in it. Anya mindlessly adjusted her headphones. On the other side of the room, Giles did the same.

Spike ushered Willow through the curtain of sheets and onto the bed. He was in no hurry, savoring the uncomfortableness his manner was evoking in his partner. Willow was not so much nervous about what she was going to do with Spike. She was, in fact, rather looking forward to it and that made her uncomfortable. Her mind knew that this was insane and her heart knew this would hurt Tara, but those parts of her seemed turned off at this point. She reasoned that it had to be the mark affecting her. And, if she wasn't herself anyway, then it was just best to make the most out of the situation, right? So, as Spike languidly undressed her, she did the same to him. They had been so near these last days and had become so in tune with each other that this eventual seduction took place almost conversationally. Almost.

Spike was a demon, after all, and he felt he wasn't exerting enough control over the situation. The mark was making them act this way. Willow wasn't acting out of any real desire for him at this point and that's what he realized he wanted. He needed her to acknowledge, mark or no, that he was the one bringing her the pleasure she was experiencing right now. He dropped his head to whisper seductively in her ear a single request that he assumed, given her wanton state, she would no doubt oblige. "When it's time, say my name, pet," he purred.

He pulled back to look her right in the eye as she went over the edge and she smiled at him, a sure, confident smile and took a breath to call out. . .

"Anya!"

Anya heard the call over the music in her headphones and began to recite the words to remove Cupid's mark. Giles heard it, too, and waited for the signal he thought would be forthcoming from Spike.

Spike watched the mischievious gleam in Willow's eyes as she purposely denied what he had asked of her. He could also see in her eyes that Cupid's spell on her was waning. She was free. She was the real Willow again. The real Willow who was coming down from her release to notice that Spike remained as he was, where he was. And the panic began to build.

"Spike?" Her voice was a little tremulous. "Shouldn't you, y'know?"

Spike grinned wickedly and looked at the redhead below him, shy, innocent, and blushing furiously. This was the Willow he wanted to seduce.

"Sorry, love, you didn't do what I asked. Looks like I have to give you a second chance. Say, do you still have that pesky mark on your neck? Let's have a look," and with the pretense of putting them in a better position for him to inspect the back of her neck, Spike pulled them upright suddenly, taking Willow with him and letting gravity work it's charm.

"Nnughh - " Willow groaned at her newfound predicament. Spike tilted her head and licked the spot where Cupid's mark had so recently been. She shuddered and leaned into his touch. Now Willow had no excuses. She knew it. Spike knew it. And she knew Spike knew she knew it. Knew was starting to seem like a funny word to her and she giggled.

"What do I have to do to keep your mind on the task at hand?" Spike asked and then proceeded to answer his own question in a few interesting ways.

Giles was beginning to think he had somehow missed Spike's cue and so he slowly began to turn around and peek. When he caught a glimpse of the silhouette behind the hanging sheets, he quickly resumed his previous stance of facing the wall and wished he had had either more patience or greater confidence in his hearing.

Willow was fighting a losing battle with Spike and her own body. Resistance was futile with his strong arms and hands supporting her and his hard chest in such intimate play with her softer attributes. And, oh God, Giles was waiting. Well, that sealed it. If she couldn't give in to these base desires for her own sake, she could for Giles. It was like a favor to him, really it was.

So, solely for Giles' benefit, of course, Willow became a much more active participant in, as Spike put it, the "task at hand." In no time, she was clutching at Spike with a need and frenzy not unlike what they had gone through earlier in the living room. Rational thought was obliterated from her mind and all she could concentrate on was the feel of their bodies together.

Spike was all too near losing control to care much more who won in this little game and was about to give up when he decided the little gasping noises Willow was making in his ear weren't just gasps at all but words instead. It hit him like a wave when he made out what she was practically hissing.

"Spike, Spike, Spike, Spike, Spike..." Willow couldn't help herself. She chanted the little mantra as her only hope of not screaming. That was one embarrassment she planned to spare herself throughout all of this.

His smile triumphant and his face beaming with a masculine pride, he took Willow's face in his hands. She was hugging him so tightly, he didn't need to support her anymore. She looked at him, eyes glazed, cheeks flushed. "Was that so hard?" He asked playfully. Not failing to catch the double meaning his words could have, Willow shook her head.

"Your turn, Watcher" Spike called out.

"It's about time," Gile muttered before he pulled his headphones off and began his part of the rites. He had been none too happy imagining any number of reasons Spike still had Willow in there.

Silence fell over the room as Giles finished the incantation. Anya had slipped out of the room as soon as her part was over. The only sound was someone breathing.

"Willow?" Giles asked tentatively. "Is everything all right?"

"We're fine. I think it worked. Could you maybe give us a little time to, uh - "

"Ah, to compose yourselves. Right."

"I was gonna say get dressed, but yeah."

"We'll be downstairs if you need us." With that, Giles left the room.

On the bed, Willow and Spike remained a tangled mass of limbs, clinging to one another. They told themselves this was out of habit from the last few days. But they both knew they were lying.

"We should make sure it worked," Willow said, a bit regretfully.

"We should," Spike agreed.

Slowly, they disentangled themselves and moved apart. They sat at opposite ends of the bed, not touching. Willow couldn't say that she didn't feel any sort of loss inside that would go away were she still in his arms, but she knew the spell was broken.

"I guess we're okay," Willow volunteered weakly.

"Perhaps we should test anyway. See if we can touch and go, so to speak."

Willow seemed to think that was a good idea, too. They crawled toward one another and met in the middle, standing on their knees. Spike reached out and steadied himself against Willow's hips. Willow braced her hands against Spike's shoulders. Still both very naked, they longed for more intimate contact but neither dared.

Spike knew that if he stayed this close to Willow, touching her, for much longer that she would soon know how much he wanted her regardless of Cupid. He wasn't sure that was information he was willing to share just yet. Probably that demon thing again.

"We should get dressed," he said.

"Clothes are good," she affirmed.

They scooted themselves to the end of the bed and began locating various items of clothing. Willow handed Spike his black t-shirt and he found her underwear. She pulled on her skirt and adjusted it. The more dressed Willow became, the more she felt like herself again and she began to blush. She heard Spike's zipper and knew he was dressed. In a hurry to be fully clothed herself, she began fumbling behind her back with the clasp of her bra. Wordlessly, Spike reached over and fastened it for her. Willow didn't take any time to think about his gesture; she put on her top and faced him.

She had expected him to be smirking or something. He wasn't. He looked at her patiently and she felt the blush begin to fade. She had been like a different person around Spike as long as she had Cupid's mark. She would miss the boldness with the vampire. But really... Where was the fun in returning to normal?

"So, we know we're cured." She smiled devilishly; a decidedly impish idea was forming. "Nobody else does yet."

Spike raised his scarred eyebrow, which was exactly the encouragement she needed.

"Want to make them squirm?" she asked.

For the first time, Spike offered Willow a genuine smile. "What have you got in mind, Red?"


	7. Part 7: Back to Abnormal

Buffy and Xander were pacing. Giles was making tea again. Anya was filing her nails. "Why haven't they come down yet?"

Anya smirked. "Post-coital bliss?" Xander looked like he wanted to throttle his girlfriend.

They heard a commotion at the top of the stairs and Buffy, Xander, and Giles came forward to stand together and gape in horror. Anya was amused. Spike and Willow descended the stairs. Technically, Spike descended the stairs and Willow rode on his back. When they came to a stop, Willow made a show of nuzzling Spike's ear. "Hi, guys!"

Xander was speechless. Giles took off his glasses, so he wouldn't have to see the display so clearly.

"It didn't work?!?" Buffy screeched. And then Spike and Willow started laughing. The horrified look on Buffy's face stayed there for a moment longer before she rushed at them. "You are both so dead!" But she hugged Willow to her and discreetly whispered in her ear "Are you alright?" Willow pulled away, nodding. "We're good. No mark, see?" She pulled her hair aside, but she wasn't quite markless after all. Buffy frowned at Spike. "You gave her a hickey!"

Spike was busy putting his leather duster on and rifling through the pockets for something. He smirked at the slayer. "That's not the only one she'll have." Buffy lunged for him and Willow held her back.

"Perhaps you better go, Spike." Giles sagely advised.

"With pleasure. I've had enough of you all," He pulled out the pack of cigarettes he was looking for and lit one. "For now." There was no mistaking that he said the last part soley to and for Willow before leaving.

Buffy looked at Willow. "You don't think he means? I mean, he better not mean!"

"Buff, calm down! It's over. We're de-lusted of each other." Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Wills.

"So you won't - " Buffy gestured to where Spike left. "Cause that whole I'd-like-to-see-what-he-can-do threw me for loop, I don't mind telling you."

Willow laughed. She wanted to reassure her friend that that was just the mojo talking, but something stopped her. "No, Buffy, I can't really see us ever doing that again."

Buffy let it go with an emphatic "Good to know."

EPILOGUE

"Anyanka told them, huh? I thought you weren't speaking to her anymore." Cupid watched with Mischief as Spike left the watcher's apartment.

"I wasn't, not since she's been human. But she summoned me, and I couldn't help bragging."

"Well, I'm sorry the game ended so quickly. I thought those two would be at it for a long time."

Mischief smiled enigmatically.

"What do you know?"

"That the game these two have started has only just begun."

"So then, my dear, I assume you're pleased with how things turned out?"

Mischief's eyes sparkled. "Infinitely."


End file.
